Best format to convert DVD to to play in Media Player

Discussion in 'MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 encoding (AVI to DVD)' started by markw, Jun 6, 2005.

  1. markw

    markw Member

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    I have a PocketPC that I am buying a large SD Card for (8 gig) to hold video. I want to use Media Player 10 in it to play these files and I'm basically using it like one of the new personal media players coming out to play mp3's as well, view jpgs, and watch TV, movies, etc. My question,

    What is the best format to use? I am assuming mpeg 4 and/or divx are the best. I know there is a format called wmv. What others does Media Player 10 play and is wmv the same as mpeg 4?
    I just want to find the best format that will be good quality but yet compressed since I am limited with space.
    As well, what is the best program to use to do these conversions, free or otherwise? These DVD's would be programs I record off of TV, not copyrighted DVD's
     
  2. nownthen

    nownthen Regular member

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    Windows Media Player can play just about anything with the right codec. There is a list of files it supports before adding anything.
    Just look under option then file types.
     
  3. markw

    markw Member

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    Thanks for that link. I went through the glossary and learned a lot. I am wondering which would be the best codec to use? I want like I said high quality but yet obviously something that doesn't take a lot of space. From what I'm reading wmv is probably the best choice and it seems the newest version does encode in mpeg-4.
     
  4. aldaco12

    aldaco12 Active member

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    Take care that this is only my opinion.

    The best AVI codecs are DivX 5.2.0 Pro and Xvid.

    To have a reasonable size keeping the quality close to the original movie's I make:

    1) convert VOB 720x480/576 --> MPG 352x240/288.
    2) compress the MPG I just made with DivX 'Portable Profile' and the DivX settings (performance=slow?) needed to enable it to reach the maxium compression , using as compression method 'DivX multipass' and keeping the max bitrate for VCD movies (768 kbps). Use, to compress the MP3 audio, an average 128 kbps CBR (similar to CD quality) as compression method (and be sure that the sampling rate is 44.1 kHz). Avoid using VBR or 48 kHz.

    I personally think that compressing a 600x400 movie @600 kbps creates a movie worse than a 352x240/288 @768 kbps (too many losses).
    And I think that watching a VCD made from a 'perfect' AVI is much better than watching a DVD made from a lossy low-birate AVI (since garbage in = garbage out...).

    This is only my personal opinion, who moderated this forum when its name was just '(S)VCD forum'. Now its name is 'AVI to DVD' and people loves making AVI --> DVD even using low-quality clips....
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2005

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